To amend titles 23 and 49, United States Code, to promote the integration of local land use planning and transportation planning.

September 7, 2005

Mr. GERLACH introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

To amend titles 23 and 49, United States Code, to promote the integration of local land use planning and transportation planning.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Growing Smarter Through Transportation Infrastructure Act of 2005'.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:

(1) It is in the national interest to encourage States and local governments to integrate land use planning with transportation planning in order to--

(A) promote the long-term conservation and preservation of undeveloped open spaces and farmland; and

(B) stimulate the revitalization of established urban centers while meeting the Nation's immediate and long-term transportation needs.

(2) It is further in the national interest to ensure that Federal funds used to plan, design, build, and maintain transportation infrastructure are utilized to promote the integration of land use planning and transportation planning and to ensure that transportation projects resulting from the process are consistent with applicable land use plans of affected units of general purpose local government.

(3) Conservation and preservation of undeveloped open spaces and farmland are consistent with economic development.

SEC. 3. HIGHWAY PLANNING.

(a) Metropolitan Planning-

(1) SCOPE OF PLANNING PROCESS- Section 134(f)(1) of title 23, United States Code, is amended--

(A) by striking `and' at the end of subparagraph (F);

(B) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (G) and inserting `; and'; and

(C) by adding at the end the following:

`(H) ensure consistency with local land use plans.'.

(2) LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN- Section 134(g) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(7) COORDINATION WITH AFFECTED UNITS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT- The metropolitan planning organization shall coordinate the development of the long-range transportation plan with affected units of general purpose local government to ensure consistency with local land use plans.'.

(3) LOCAL LAND USE PLAN DEFINED- Section 134 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(p) Local Land Use Plan Defined- In this section and section 135, the term `local land use plan' means a municipal, multimunicipal, county, or multicounty comprehensive plan or transportation improvement plan.'.

(b) Statewide Planning-

(1) SCOPE OF PLANNING PROCESS- Section 135(c)(1) of title 23, United States Code, is amended--

(A) by striking `and' at the end of subparagraph (F);

(B) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (G) and inserting `; and'; and

(C) by adding at the end the following:

`(H) ensure consistency with local land use plans.'.

(2) LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN- Section 135(e) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(6) COORDINATION WITH AFFECTED UNITS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT- The State shall coordinate the development of the long-range transportation plan with affected units of general purpose local government to ensure consistency with local land use plans.'.

SEC. 4. TRANSIT PLANNING.

(a) Metropolitan Planning-

(1) SCOPE OF PLANNING PROCESS- Section 5303(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended--

(A) by striking `and' at the end of subparagraph (F);

(B) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (G) and inserting `; and'; and

(C) by adding at the end the following:

`(H) ensure consistency with local land use plans.'.

(2) LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN- Section 5303(f) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(7) COORDINATION WITH AFFECTED UNITS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT- The metropolitan planning organization shall coordinate the development of the long-range transportation plan with affected units of general purpose local government to ensure consistency with local land use plans.'.

(3) LOCAL LAND USE PLAN DEFINED- Section 5303 of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(i) Local Land Use Plan Defined- In this section and section 5304, the term `local land use plan' means a municipal, multimunicipal, county, or multicounty comprehensive plan or transportation improvement plan.'.

END